Twin chambers magazine (TCM)

ABSTRACT

What is new in the firearm technology: The Twin Chambers Magazine provides double cartridge capacity to feed a firearm than present magazines of the same length. Its separated chambers have a wider internal relation, have perforated guides for the elevators, are synchronized by its mechanism that does not require electric power. This makes 2 independent magazines work together feeding one common mouth, can be use in some firearms without modifications and can be produced for any present cartridge. Its stopping mechanism allows one chamber to begin to work until the other chamber is already empty, working in serial and orderly: first the left one, then the right one. 
     The TCM avoids changing frequently empty firearm&#39;s magazines, providing more cartridges and saving time, has a reduced size compare with the drum and spiral magazines, and does not present jamming if it is stored loaded for a long time.

1. TITLE OF THE INVENTION

1.1 Title of the invention.

I call my invention, THE TWIN CHAMBERS MAGAZINE (TCM)

1.2 Petitioner.

JULIO ENRIQUE LOPEZ LAPARRA.

-   Guatemalan, with residence in 12 calle 11-73 Zona 1, Local 7,     1^(st). level, Centro Histórico, Guatemala city, Guatemala 01001,     Central America. -   Independent foreign inventor, not sponsored. -   Tel. 00 (502) 2253 4768 Cel: 00 (502) 5571 9292

1.3 Description.

The Twin Chambers Magazine, from now on in this document abridged simply as TCM, is a new kind of magazine that can hold double quantity of cartridges than common magazines of similar length, does not have the form, size or the mechanism of the drum magazines nor the helicoidal or spiral magazines present in the market now. The TCM is intended to be used in pistols, rifles, carbines, shotguns, sub-machine guns, automatic guns, machine guns, and in general, in any firearm that are feed by a magazine of any kind.

2. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a substitute application to correct the informalities presented in my prior application for the TCM dated Mar. 16, 2010 with U.S. application Ser. No. 12/656492, Customer Number 88628. This substitute application is marked with underlining and brackets as requested in the Notice to file corrected application papers sent to me by USPTO dated Mar. 17, 2010 in which the USPTO granted me 2 months to correct the informalities and fulfill properly my application in order to compliance with 37 CFR regulations.

This substitute application includes a “CLEAN VERSION” as requested without markings and a copy of it in normal paper.

3. FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Unfortunately, as a foreign, independent inventor, I do not count with federal funds or help from the U.S. in this development.

4. APPLICANT CLAIMS SMALL ENTITY STATUS

In this opportunity, I respectfully want to claim before you, the small entity status, to be able to enjoy the reduced fees you charge to applicants. This is because I consider myself to fulfill the requirements you ask for granting this status.

I am an independent inventor, with no superior studies in the field of my invention. I am not an engineer or firearms expert. I am not sponsored by any government agency: not in my country Guatemala, in Central America, nor by federal funds in the U.S. or the U.S. army. This is my first application for registration a Utility Patent and, since I do not count with the necessary money, I did not hire the services of a legal attorney to present this application, I am doing it on my behalf. I had to do it personally. This whole document, explanation, declarations and application are made by me (except the drawings, which I had to paid to an Autocad technician to make them). The original idea, the details and mechanism, were thought by me, since 4 years ago approximately.

I run a small business of importing firearms accessories, also selling legal firearms in my country, counting with the legal permit granted by the Defense Ministry of Guatemala for more that 12 years. Nevertheless my company is not a non profit organization, my yearly income does not exceed USD$.24,000.00 I contacted a law firm in Guatemala City that works with other law firms in the U.S. As a result a kind lady named Hania Krück, offered to me to present this application for me for a price between USD$.5,000.00 to USD$.15,000.00. I don't have that money so decided to do it myself. I have not assigned any rights in this invention and I am not under that obligation to do so. For that reason, I am respectfully sending to the Commissioner for Patents a Money Order for USD$.680.00 which is intended to pay the following fees:

-   -   a) Small entity filing fee: USD$.165.00     -   b) Small entity search fee: USD$.270.00     -   c) Small entity examination fee: USD$.110.00     -   d) One extra claim fee (4 independent claims): USD$.110.00     -   e) Extra amount in case fees price's have raised: USD$.25.00     -   TOTAL: USD$.680.00

In my prior application to the USPTO, with application Ser. No. 12/656492, I paid a total fee of USD$.680.00 with a money order. In this opportunity, I am sending my substitute specification as requested in your Notice to file corrected application papers dated Mar. 17, 2010, including another money order to the Commissioner for Patents for USD$.300.00 that intends to pay the fee for Early pre-grant publication fee for small entity of USD$.300.00 as requested in your Notice. TOTAL: USD$.300.00

If I miscalculated this total amount, if there is any other fee I forgot to include in this money order or for any other reason the total amount is bigger than USD$.300.00 according your calculations, please Mr. Commissioner, let me know to my e-mail talbot939@hotmail.com or to my telephone 00(502) 2253 4768 and I will immediately send the amount balance to you.

Any further notice or notification to me regarding to this matter, please Mr. Examiner, send it first to my e-mail address, because normal postal delivering takes several weeks to get here. It will give me more time to answer and correct any informality. Thanks

5. COPY REFERENCE, COPY OF THE “CLEAN VERSION”

In my prior application, number U.S. Ser. No. 12/656492, I included 2 copies of this whole written document along with the drawings. Nevertheless, they were rejected by the USPTO because they contained text that were unreadable or of insufficient clarity, and they were not labeled “Copy 1” and “Copy 2”. For that reason, in this substitute specification I do not include any CD with any electronic copy of my application. This marked substitute specification, with underlining, brackets and corrected drawings according to 1.121 (d), is presented today as requested in your Notice to file corrected application papers, dated Mar. 17, 2010, in compliance with 1.125 (b) and (c), in a separate folder, labeled on the top margin and in its folder as “Substitute Specification”, and I also include a statement letter in page 01 of this application, in order to replace the prior specification due to mistakes committed in compliance with 1.121 (3), and a copy of the received Notice, as requested.

Another copy of this substitute specification but without markings, in a separate folder, is also included in this application, without markings, underlining or brackets as requested in your Notice, labeled in the top margin and in its folder as “CLEAN VERSION”. Instead of a CD, I include in this opportunity one simple copy of this “CLEAN VERSION”, in normal paper, labeled “COPY OF THE CLEAN VERSION” in a separate folder, with all the replacement sheets drawings.

I understand the USPTO knows institutions, companies, investing funds or associations that are interested in helping independent investors in developing their inventions. I respectfully present this copy to allow any interested person help me out with production. I also include in this application, a self-addressed postcard to allow myself to get a stamped receipt of the substitute specification I am presenting again to the USPTO, with a list of every document I included, as you require.

6. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 6.1 Introduction.

I respectfully want to summarize the development of the cartridge magazine to present to the USPTO my idea.

In my prior U.S. application Ser. No. 12/656492, I included some photographs, photocopies and photocopied text along with this explanation with illustration purposes to explain the development of the cartridge magazine through time. Nevertheless, this Background of the Invention was rejected by the USPTO because these drawings were not allowed in the specification, the text was unreadable or of insufficient clarity, written in unacceptable font or font size. This photocopies were taken from catalogues so they had poor resolution; include them again in the Drawings Section would be unnecessary if my explanation describes them properly. I am sorry for the inconvenient; again I explain, this is my first Patent Application presented to the USPTO. I offer my sincere apologizes and thank you for your understanding.

6.2 Definition.

In this explanation, we call “magazine” to the loader, feeder or clip that feeds cartridges to be fired by a pistol, rifle, carbine, sub-machine or machine gun, and in general, auto-loaded firearms. It is the device designed to load or feed the mechanism of a firearm, automatic or semi-automatic, that allows the cartridge enter to the barrel's chamber. The firearm mechanism strikes the cartridge in the prime, shoots the bullet and ejects the empty case.

Magazines are made in these days from different materials: steel sheets, aluminum lamina, fiberglass, and more recently, of plastic composites, thermoplastic, different kind of polymers, and carbon fiber.

Its body or structure, contains the elements that make it work: the external body made out of the materials above described, keeps everything inside, the elevator or follower holds the cartridges, the spring pushes up the elevator and the cartridges, the mouth in the upper part lies behind the barrel chamber ready to feed the cartridges. The mouth's lips hold the cartridges and they are from where the cartridge is taken to feed the barrel's chamber by the firearm bolt, and the shoe or bottom part holds all the elements inside, locking the spring with a security pin that avoids accidental disassembling. The magazine lips, avoid the cartridges to jump off the magazine vertically, holding them by the pressure the spring makes on them. The lips only allow the cartridges to leave the magazine in a horizontal movement to the front (not backwards not vertically), which is the movement the mechanism of a firearm makes to feed the barrel chamber.

6.3 Brief History of the Magazine. 6.3.1 The Beginning.

In the very beginning, firearms were loaded manually from the barrel's mouth with powder, bullet and compression material and shot by an ignition system usually outside the firearm, repeating the process every time it shots. A big step was accomplished when a person invented the present cartridge as we know it: a bullet with its powder and ignition system put together inside a single body: the case. Disposable and reliable, revolutions the way a firearm is shot.

When cartridges were available, a firearm was feed by several methods, but two of the most important were the 6 cartridge cylinder and the tube magazine. The first one used in revolvers, behind the barrel and the second one use in rifles with manually feeding, located underneath the rifle's barrel. Both systems are in use in present days.

Several years later, the cartridge magazine, in vertical position to the barrel as we know it, was invented in the first years of the 20^(th) Century. It has a separate body, independent of the firearm itself. Can be easily take out and put in, making reloading faster. The first magazines were simple and used a wide variety of cartridges, but had several characteristics still present in these days in modern magazines:

-   -   a) they can present in their mouth only one cartridge at a time         to feed the barrel's chamber: 2 cartridges at the same time         would obstruct the firearm mechanism;     -   b) the cartridges can not jump up vertically out of the magazine         because they are held by the lips located in the magazine's         mouth;     -   c) the cartridges can leave the magazine only in an horizontal         movement pushed from behind by the firearm bolt or mechanism to         feed the barrel;     -   d) they have main and common elements that make them work: an         elevator or follower that holds or receives the cartridges         inside the magazine, a spring or pucker that makes the necessary         pressure to push up the cartridges against gravity, a bottom cap         that locks all elements inside and a single body that keeps         everything together;     -   e) one single space inside the magazine;     -   f) as an independent accessory from the firearm, can be easily         removed and replaced for faster reloading;     -   g) the longer the inside space, the more cartridges it can hold.

6.3.2 Single-Line Magazines.

In the beginning, magazines have only one line of cartridges inside them, that could hold around 8 or 11 cartridges, depending of the caliber and length of the magazine. The upper part has a straight form, following the magazine shape. The mouth obviously received one by one cartridge. For its design, this magazine has a width internal relation of its space of 1:1, it means that if they are holding a cartridge with a case diameter or 10 mm, all the magazine's body has an internal usable space of 11 or 12 mm allowing only one cartridge to slide up in its interior. The perfect examples are the magazines for the Colt .45″ invented in 1911 and the german Luger P08 9 mm invented in 1905. How they were ordered inside the magazine: One cartridge over the other. The magazine can be in front of the trigger, or inside the frame or handle of the handgun, behind the trigger, depending on the model of the handgun.

6.3.3 Double-Line Magazines.

Several years after that, someone try to put more cartridges inside the magazine. He invented the two lines magazine. To assure no stacking, they designed the elevator and the width of the inside walls, to hold the cartridges one slightly over the other one, in a zigzag or “W” pattern (WWWWWW) if you see them from behind, in which the cartridges were not side by side, but one cartridge slightly mounted on the next one. In its wider part, this magazine has a width internal relation of its space of 1.6:1, it means that if they are holding a 9 mm cartridge that has a case diameter or 10 mm, the magazine has an internal space of 16 or 17 mm to allow one cartridge to be slightly mounted over the next one, permitting to hold 60% more cartridges. The upper part ends in an inverted funnel form that orders the arriving cartridges in a line, allowing the mouth receiving one cartridge at a time. That novelty, allowed carrying from 15 to 25 cartridges inside them, depending on the caliber and length of the magazine. The current official sidearm of the U.S. military forces, holds 15 cartridges caliber 9 mm into the Beretta 92FS in a magazine with similar length of a 9 cartridge single-line old magazine.

More recently, in 1982, Glock from Austria, presented another two lines magazine. This one differed of the previous one, in the position of the inside cartridges: they were completely put together: one next to the other, held in pairs, one cartridge besides the other one, for a better use of the inside space and forming a “Z” pattern ( ) if you look the magazine from behind. The upper part or mouth ends also in an inverted funnel form that orders the arriving cartridges in one line, allowing the mouth's lips receiving one cartridge at a time. The difference is that the previous magazine has a symmetric inverted funnel shape in its mouth: the length of the inclined ramps were equal in the right and in the left side. The Glock magazine, has a non-symmetrical inverted funnel shape in its mouth because the length of the right ramp if you see from behind is a little longer than the left ramp of the magazine's mouth. This is because the cartridge that are coming in pairs, one next to another, have to be ordered before reaching the mouth and obligatory, one cartridge have to come up before its partner, and that is why the funnel shape allows the right cartridge gets first to the mouth, forming them orderly one by one before reaching the top. Due to its new design, this magazine's interior space has a width internal relation of its space of 2:1, it means that if they are holding a 9 mm cartridge that has a case diameter or 10 mm, the lower part has an internal space of 20 or 21 mm to allow to hold the cartridges in pairs, one cartridge next to the other one, permitting to hold 40% more cartridges. The magazines were slightly wider, but hold more cartridges than similar length magazines. The Glock magazine holds the cartridges completely side to side.

These two configurations of zigzag-W o “Z” pattern magazines, are use in modern firearms around the world.

Another improvement in this traditional zigzag pattern magazine for rifles, was made in the loading. The Cammenga magazine brings a front slide part that allows you to load the magazine from the front part instead of the mouth. The front cap slides down and discovers the interior, moving down the spring and the follower at the same time. Then you can load the magazine from the front, faster, in a traditional zigzag pattern, and then, sliding up the front cap back to close it. It holds 30 cartridges and it is made out of polymer.

6.3.4 Belt Feeding.

To solve the problem of feeding a machine gun for military purposes, the cartridge belt was invented in 1915 and use in World War I. These belts can hold up to 300 rounds (the weight is the only limitation). Machine guns for heavy use in military transportation (ground and air) and light infantry use, use these belts. These belts were designed specially to avoid stacking and use independent and disposable cartridges holders that form the bullet chain. They proved to be reliable and lethal. Modern machine guns for infantry, vehicles and aircrafts, use this belt feeding system in present days.

6.3.5 Round or Drum Magazines.

Another design of cartridge magazine, is the drum magazine. This one holds the cartridges not in a straight body, but in a round body, like the famous Thompson 45 use by gang members in the 1930's, in old Chicago. The cartridges were located in the periphery inside the round magazine and pushed by a pucker or bellows (not spring), that produced pressure over the cartridges in a curved shape and pushed the cartridges not in 2 lines but in one line, for its design. They were heavy and bulky, but could hold up to 100 cartridges. These drum magazines could be under the firearm like the American Thompson 45 or over the barrel like the Russian Degtyarev use in World War II, but always behind the barrel chamber.

The drum magazine, was improved by the Russians. The drum magazine for the AK47 had not only a heavy pucker to push the cartridges, but a mechanism that allows it to make a longer cartridge line with 2 or 3 rounds around the drum, mounting the cartridges lines one over the other in the separators inside it. Because the pucker has to be strong to push around the drum form the cartridges, it has a crank-handle or key in the back to release the inside tension of the pucker and store it loaded without the tension and to help loading the drum magazine. This drum magazine feeds the barrel's chamber naturally one cartridge at a time, it does not use the zigzag pattern of modern magazines: it uses a long line of one single cartridge winded inside the drum.

6.3.6 Helicoidal and Spiral Magazines.

Another kind of magazines are the helicoidal or spiral magazines. Similar in its shape to the drum magazines, this helicoidal magazine holds the cartridges into its body in 2 cartridge lines, using the normal zigzag or W pattern: one cartridge slightly mounted over the next one, not in one long continue line like the drum magazine. It can be found in one large body or in two separate drums. Usually made of plastic and lighter materials, this helicoidal magazine can hold from 90 to 100 cartridges, and are made mainly for caliber 7.62×39 mm for the AK47 and for the caliber .223″ for the AR15 or 5.56 mmNATO for the M16. Its flaw is its helicoidal form: the spring has to be in perfect shape and with full strength to push properly the cartridges. The length of the spring and the round form of the magazine, causes malfunctions in its mechanism if the magazine is stored loaded for long periods of time; the spring may not evolve properly, collapse and present stacking. This malfunction is warned to the buyer in its description: the MWG magazine with 90 rounds. The advertisement of these magazines, warns the public about its flaw in its spring when they say literally: “Because if its unique design, the 90 Rounder for the AR-15/M-16 can be left partially loaded for an extended period of time, but never store the 90 Rounder with more than 80 rounds loaded. Leaving the 90 Rounder for the stored with more than 80 rounds loaded may damage the springs and cause the weapon the weapon to malfunction. Never attempt to load more than 90 rounds. Loading more than 90 rounds may damage the magazine.”

It also occupies a space of 8 inches or 20 cm to the left of the M16 carbine, which present a storage and carrying problem when it is in use. However, it can be use as a shield in front of your chest when putting the rifle in aiming position.

A 2 drums presentation of this spiral magazine, can hold up to 100 cartridges. One plastic drum is in each side of a normal M16 magazine, connected to these drums to feed it in one cartridge lines to form a traditional zigzag pattern inside. The BETA C-MAG needs constant lubrication: its spring follows a round shape.

The helicoidal magazine works perfectly when it is loaded just right before it is going to be used, but if it is stored loaded or semi-loaded for a long period of time, the spring may not work properly and stacks its mechanism. That is reason why it has not been formally adopted by military forces and why you don't see these magazines in present operations theaters in Irak or Afganistan: in real confrontation, you can not keep it loaded for a long time or load it before you are going to use it because you don't know when it is going to be use. Soldiers can not load it in the morning and unload it in the night for practical reasons: it can present malfunctions. This magazine works perfectly for sport practice, eventual shooting or recreational use, but not in real combat where a soldier's life can be endangered by a mechanism malfunction. That is why you still see marines and rangers using a normal 30 round magazines or 100 rounds belts in their weapons in real combat. It also occupies a 6 inches or 15 cm space on each side of the carbine, but less bulky than the precedent one.

6.3.7 Above Barrel Magazine.

A huge improvement in magazines, was made and patented by Fabriqué Nationale D'Armes de Guerre, FN, or Browning from Belgium. They developed a sophisticated sub-machine gun: the beautiful, small, light and portable P90, with a new cartridge (the 5.7×28 mm) designed to penetrate armored vehicles, helmets and bullet proof vests in a small presentation. To reduce its size and bulky shape of previous carbines, they developed a new feeding mechanism in its magazine.

The magazine does not go under the barrel, but above it and under the sights, in the same direction of the barrel, along it, carrying the cartridges not in the direction of the barrel but perpendicular to it, at 90 degrees. This magazine comes in the front part, with a simple but ingenious turning mechanism: the cartridge is loaded into the magazine in a perpendicular position respect to the barrel. The turning mechanism receives the cartridge and turns it 90 degrees before it is fed by the firearm mechanism into the barrel's chamber.

The P90 works fast, without flaws and without any electric power and has proven its reliability and precision. It is a dependable, modern weapon for military and police use, with only 50 cm length, 2.5 kg, a 50 rounds magazine and a lethal, light, penetrating, low recoil cartridge. It expels the used cases underneath the weapon.

6.3.8 Other Magazines.

To finish this small history of the cartridge magazine, we must mention the new concept and the magazine of the H&K G11, developed by the always ingenious and up-to-date German Heckler & Koch. Nevertheless it uses a light, plastic, transparent magazine, it has its differences. The G11 is a military carbine that uses cartridges with no shells or cases. It uses a light and smaller bullet surrounded by plastic explosive that is put into the barrel chamber and shot by a mechanical mechanism (not electrical). The weapon does not expel any case or used shell, reducing the ammunition's weight. Its magazine is straight, not curved as the AK47 magazines, but keeps the traditional zigzag pattern we described. It can hold 50 rounds in a small magazine due to the novelty cartridge.

6.3.9 Conclusion and Problems to be Solved.

Summarizing: what all magazines and designers have been trying to do through time, is to upgrading its capacity carrying more cartridges, to avoid wasting time in reloading a firearm, changing an empty magazine. A 90 rounds magazine, can save the time of changing 2 magazines of 30 rounds (20 sec). In combat, it is an advantage. For that reason, designers have to accomplish some goals in developing new magazines (as they have in any new product). There are some characteristics to take in count.

Problems to Solve with the TCM:

-   a) to have a reliable magazine for firearms, that can hold more     quantity of cartridges; -   b) it does not have to be so big, heavy or bulky that obstructs when     carrying or handling a loaded firearm; -   c) it has to be as small and light as possible; -   d) it must not present any flaw or malfunction that jams the firearm     (the most important feature); -   e) it must help to avoid wasting time changing an empty magazine. -   f) The loading and reloading is a consideration, but not a main     problem because it is always a process that takes its time, usually     done previously, with no hurry or pressure, not in the moment you     intend to use it. Drum magazines were invented several years ago,     takes time to reload it, and still, they are on sale.

7. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The claimed invention is that the Twin Chambers Magazine, TCM, has 4 or 5 lines of cartridges, instead of the current 2 lines used by most magazines, divided in 2 separated chambers or spaces, that feed a firearm mechanism through a common mouth, in one single body. It has a new stopping mechanism that allows it to use the second chamber once the first one has been already emptied, it means, they work in serial, one after the other.

In other words, the TCM counts with 2 internal separated spaces, side to side, instead of one space present in actual magazines. The stopping mechanism “stops” or put the cartridges of the second chamber in “hold” position while the first chamber is working. When it finishes its cartridges, the new mechanism releases the cartridges in the other side to continue feeding the firearm, in serial. The second chamber waits to the first chamber to use all its cartridges, and then, it begins to work when the elevator pin of the first chamber releases the stopping mechanism and frees the cartridges of the second one.

The advantage in this design, is that the TCM can hold double capacity of cartridges than a current magazine of similar length, doubling its cartridge capacity, width and weight. The object of the TCM is:

-   -   a) to provide a reliable and tested magazine with improved         cartridge capacity than modern magazines on sale on the market         in present days;     -   b) present no stacking problems on its mechanism or internal         parts;     -   c) present no flaws or malfunctions in its stopping mechanism         that could make the firearm mechanism jam;     -   d) reduce the size of present and proven drum and helicoidal         magazines;     -   e) solve the problem of failure in helicoidal magazines when         they are stored loaded for a long period of time. It can         possible because its spring does not describe a curved movement,         it goes up and down in a straight movement, like present and         traditional proven magazines in use today, from which the TCM is         inspired     -   f) provide another alternative to the military, police or         government forces, and to the general public and firearms         enthusiasts, of a new kind of magazine;     -   g) gather together principles and elements of previous         traditional magazines combined by a new concept of putting         several usable spaces into one single body, working together         synchronized, helped by a novelty stopping mechanism that allows         the different spaces or chambers work in serial, offering         reliability and more cartridge capacity.

The main objective of this application, is to design, perfect, test, resolve any possible flaws, commercialize and sale the TCM in any caliber actually in use, saving for me and my company the invention rights that this patent protects.

8. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS' VIEWS 8.1 Introduction.

The Twin Chambers Magazine, TCM, has 4 or 5 lines of cartridges, divided in 2 chambers, fitted in one body.

The drawings I present in order to explain the principle of its mechanism and its novelty idea, are based in the explanation of the AK47 magazine, only for illustration purposes. The drawings, are intended to let the USPTO understand my idea, and how 2 different magazines are put together, one next to another to work as one, feeding the firearm, in serial, using the same feeder mouth.

The novelty design, is based in its stopping mechanism with is describe in detail by drawings in FIGS. 16 to 19 and 22, pages 71 to 81 and 85 to let you understand how the second magazine has to wait to feed the firearm until the first magazine has been already emptied.

Since the firearm barrel has to be fed one cartridge at a time, the present mechanism used by modern magazines for the M16 and AK47 carbines to feed the barrel, is their zigzag pattern in which their cartridges are orderly loaded. The first cartridge to be loaded from the magazine to the barrel can be at the right or left side inside the magazine. So it is no matter if the cartridge comes from the left or right lip of the magazine, which is actually use by modern firearms.

This simple mechanism avoids that 2 cartridges are put in “fire position” in the mouth of the TCM at the same time, jamming the firearm mechanism.

8.2 Brief Description of the Drawing's Views and Figures.

The following description, summarizes what the drawings included in this application are trying to illustrate and explain the TCM novelty principle and the twin chambers working together, in serial.

FIG. 1. TCM lateral view: The TCM from the left side and its curved shape if designed for an AK47 carbine.

FIG. 2. Division wall: Separates left from right chamber inside the TCM allowing to count with 2 separate spaces.

FIG. 3. TCM plant view: Shows the TCM fully loaded with cartridges in both chambers: left and right.

FIG. 4. TCM bottom view: Illustrates how the cartridges are kept into the TCM in the bottom forming 4 or 5 lines of cartridges between both chambers, increasing its capacity.

FIG. 5. Division wall: How the division wall separates the left chamber from the right chamber in the TCM mouth, creating 2 separated and independent magazines.

FIG. 6. TCM lock pin: Shows the external pin in the back of the TCM that locks it into an AK47 carbine, in this case, like actual magazines.

FIG. 7. Elements: Shows the main components of the TCM in a transversal section. Explains how the main spring pushes up the cartridges and feeds them to the TCM mouth through the elevator in each chamber, in this particular case, designed for an AK47 carbine the TCM has a curved shape.

FIG. 8. TCM lips, plant view: How the TCM lips hold the cartridges of each chamber, left and right, waiting to be taken by the firearm mechanism in an horizontal movement. This lips avoid the cartridges to jump up vertically out of the magazine.

FIG. 9. TCM mouth lateral view: Lateral detail of the TCM mouth. The first cartridge hold by the right lip ready to be taken and the lock pin in the back that locks the TCM in the firearm.

FIG. 10. TCM mouth isometric view: Both lips detail, the first cartridge to be used hold by the left lip, the first cartridge of the right chamber in hold position, the division wall that separates both chambers, the lock pin and anchorage ditch that lock the TCM into the firearm.

FIG. 11. TCM mouth front view: Shows the principle of the TCM. 2 chambers working orderly and separately. Detail of the first cartridge on the left chamber in “fire position” and the first cartridge on the right chamber in “hold position” hold by the safety catch plate (scp).

FIG. 11A. TCM mouth back view: The TCM novelty. One chamber works after the another, simulating 2 separated magazines. Detail of the first cartridge on the left chamber in “fire position”. The first cartridge on the right chamber in “hold position” is hidden below avoiding to hinder the firearm mechanism.

FIG. 12. TCM elevator or follower, plant view: Present in both chambers with similar shape in mirror view, holds horizontally the cartridges inside the TCM chambers, transmits the pressure of the main spring.

FIG. 12A. TCM elevator, elevation view: Shows the elevator from the side, its front guide pin and its back external pin which run up and down through the perforated guides along the TCM.

FIG. 12B. TCM elevator, lateral view: Shows the rear and wider part of the elevator and its upper “wings” shape that holds the cartridges.

FIG. 12C. TCM elevator, isometric view: Illustrates the hollow elevator and how it holds in its bottom receiver the chamber's main spring.

FIG. 13. TCM elevators, superior inside position: Illustrates where the elevators of both chambers are positioned in order to push the cartridges up through the TCM mouth.

FIG. 13A. TCM elevators, lower inside position: Illustrates where the elevators of both chambers are positioned inside the TCM chambers in order to push the cartridges up along the TCM.

FIG. 14. TCM back view: Shows its external back elements. The magazine lock pin locks the TCM in the firearm and the perforated guides guide vertically the elevators up and down preventing horizontal movement inside the chambers.

FIG. 15. TCM front view: Shows its external front elements. The anchorage ditch holds the TCM in the firearm, the perforated guides keep the elevators exactly in the center of the chambers and guide them up and down.

FIG. 16. TCM stopping mechanism elevation view: Shows from the side the stopping mechanism which holds the right cartridges while the left ones are been used. It is located behind the internal back sheet that separates the cartridges from the back cover sheet.

FIG. 16A. TCM stopping mechanism plant view: Shows from above the stopping mechanism located in the rear part of the TCM. It has the function of holding the cartridges of the right chamber while the cartridges of the left chamber are being used.

FIG. 16B. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp) and locking appendix arrow: Illustrates how the scp is hold through the locking appendix arrow with the clasp device. The scp keeps the cartridges of the right chamber in “hold position” waiting to be used.

FIG. 16C. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp) axis: The scp moves up and down on its axis from “hold position” to “fire position”.

FIG. 16D. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp) axis section: The scp supports itself on its axis to hold the cartridges.

FIG. 16E. TCM stopping mechanism: clasp device (cd) isometric: New principle of the TCM: Shows how the clasp device (cd) holds the locking appendix arrow which forms one piece with the safety catch plate (scp) and keeps the cartridges of the right chamber in “hold position” waiting to be used.

FIG. 16F. TCM stopping mechanism: clasp device (cd) detail view: The clasp device (cd) has a scissors or pincers shape allowing it to enchase the locking appendix arrow with 2 hooks in opposite position.

FIG. 16G. TCM stopping mechanism: back view: Shows the small movement of the stopping mechanism that liberates the cartridges in the right chamber from “hold” to “fire” position”. The clasp device liberates the locking appendix arrow when it is pushed and freed by the releasing lever once the cartridges in the left chamber have been all used.

FIG. 16H. TCM stopping mechanism: clasp device (cd) elevation view: The clasp device (cd) moves on its axis like scissors, from closed to open position when pushed by the releasing lever. The clasp device (cd) has 2 hooks in opposite direction that hold the locking appendix arrow.

FIG. 16I. TCM stopping mechanism: clasp device (cd) lateral view: The clasp device (cd) moves on its axis like scissors, from closed to open position when pushed by the releasing lever in its lower part.

FIG. 16J. TCM stopping mechanism: releasing lever plant view: The releasing lever opens the clasp device (cd) freeing the safety catch plate (scp) when it is pushed by the left elevator external pin.

FIG. 16K. TCM stopping mechanism: releasing lever elevation view: The releasing lever has an angled end to transmit properly the strength of the left elevator external pin pushed by the left main spring.

FIG. 16L. TCM stopping mechanism: releasing lever isometric: The releasing lever opens the clasp device by applying up vertical pressure pushed by the left elevator external pin has and spinning on its axis located on the right side.

FIG. 17. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp), isometric: How the scp is holding the right cartridges when the TCM begins to feed the firearm with the left cartridges. The TCM shows itself fully loaded.

FIG. 18. Elevators run: isometric: Both elevators push up orderly the cartridges. They are centered inside each chamber helped by their guide and external pins which run through the perforated guides in the front and back of the TCM.

FIG. 19. TCM stopping mechanism: lever movement: Shows the novelty of the TCM. The safety catch plate (scp) keeps the cartridges of the right chamber away from the firearm bolt. When the left cartridges are all being used, the left elevator external pin pushes the releasing lever, opening the clasp device (cd) and freeing the right cartridges.

FIG. 19A. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp), plant view: The locking appendix arrow is integrated to the scp in one piece.

FIG. 19B. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp), back view: The scp has a curved shape to hold firmly the first right cartridge and hide it away from the firearm mechanism when is in “hold position”.

FIG. 19C. TCM stopping mechanism: safety catch plate (scp) lateral view: The scp moves up from “hold position” to “fire position” on its axis located in the bottom part of the right lip.

FIG. 20. TCM chamber main spring, elevation view: Each chamber has an independent main spring that pushes up the elevator that holds horizontally the cartridges inside.

FIG. 20A. TCM chamber main spring, lateral view: Each main spring has to have a reduced width in its upper part because it has to fit into each chamber's mouth space.

FIG. 20B. TCM chamber main spring, plant view:' Each main spring has a wider bottom part and a more strait upper part which locks into the hollow elevator receiver.

FIG. 20C. TCM main spring, isometric: The main spring has to have a “bottle shape” to anchor itself in the wider bottom part and fit correctly in the narrower space of the TCM mouth.

FIG. 20D. TCM main springs, isometric, inside the TCM: The TCM main springs are anchored in the bottom cap lock plate to avoid inside movements but slide up separately by the division wall.

FIG. 21. TCM Transition: before changing chamber in use, front view: Illustrates how the TCM changes the feeding chamber from left to right. Before using the last left cartridge, the scp has not released the first right cartridge.

FIG. 21A. TCM Transition: before changing the chamber in use, back view: Illustrates how the TCM changes the feeding chamber from left to right. When the last left cartridge in is the mouth in fire position, the left external pin is about to set free the right cartridges.

FIG. 22. TCM stopping mechanism, releasing movement: When the last left cartridge is hold in fire position by the left lip, the left elevator external pin is ready to push the releasing lever which opens the clasp device and frees the first right cartridge.

FIG. 22A. TCM stopping mechanism, releasing movement, switching chambers: In the same moment the last left cartridge abandons the left lip, the releasing lever pushes and opens the clasp device, releases the locking appendix arrow and frees the cartridges in the right chamber. The firearm can now begin to use these cartridges.

FIG. 23. TCM Transition movement, from left to right chamber, isometric: When the last left cartridge has been already used, the first right cartridge is now in “fire position” and ready to feed the firearm mechanism. The left chamber is empty.

FIG. 24. TCM unloaded, both chambers emptied, isometric: When all the cartridges in the right chamber have been used too, the right elevator goes up and ends in the mouth too, like the left one, emptying the magazine.

FIG. 25. Loaded TCM, isometric: How the TCM will look totally loaded, with the first cartridge held by the left lip, ready to be used.

FIG. 25A. Loaded TCM, inside elements, isometric: Showing the main spring collapsed in the bottom, pushing up the cartridges through the elevator which runs up in the perforated guides.

FIG. 26. TCM bottom cap, section view: It has a square perforation and side rails that locks the lock plate to secure it to the TCM bottom.

FIG. 26A. TCM bottom cap, plant view: The bottom cap keeps all the internal elements of the TCM inside its body.

FIG. 26B. TCM bottom cap, elevation view: The bottom cap slides from the back to the front through rails for assembling and disassembling.

FIG. 27. TCM bottom cap, lock plate, plant view: This plate holds both main springs and secure them in their place avoiding to move.

FIG. 27A. TCM bottom cap, lock plate, section view: The lock plate has a square bottom that fits the bottom cap square hole to lock it in its position, avoiding accidental disassembling.

FIG. 27B. TCM bottom cap, lock plate, spring holders: The spring holders secure the main spring of each chamber in their place.

FIG. 27C. TCM bottom cap, lock plate, isometric: How to assemble the internal main spring, the bottom cap lock plate with the bottom cap.

FIG. 28. TCM disassembling, isometric: Shows the internal TCM elements and the way to disassembling.

FIG. 29. TCM for cylindrical cartridges, elevation view: The TCM can be designed for any present firearm cartridge. When the cartridge is not conic but cylindrical, the TCM has no curved shape but straight, and resembles a normal 9 mm magazine.

FIG. 29A. TCM for cylindrical cartridges, back view: The stopping mechanism and the releasing system is very alike with the TCM for an AK47. The using of one chamber after the another is similar and the elevator runs through the perforated guides.

FIG. 30. TCM for cylindrical cartridges, elevator detail, elevation: The elevator for a TCM designed for cylindrical cartridges is similar to the TCM for an AK47. It has 2 external pins that slides into the perforated guides to avoid internal side movements.

FIG. 30A. TCM for cylindrical cartridges, elevator detail, lateral view: The elevator can not move side to side inside the TCM for the external pins that slides through the perforated guides.

FIG. 31. TCM for M16 carbine, lateral view: The TCM can also be designed for an M16 carbine that uses a 5.56 mm cartridge. Due to its characteristic magazine receiver, the TCM has a “bottle and curved shape”.

FIG. 31A. TCM for M16 carbine, back view: Due to the M16 magazine receiver, the TCM has a long narrow neck, and uses a 4 or 5 cartridges lines to feed the TCM mouth orderly.

FIG. 32. TCM for M16 carbine, section views: The M16 TCM can hold from 4 up to 5 cartridge lines. Its mouth has to feed the firearm one cartridge at a time too.

FIG. 32A. TCM for M16 carbine, elevator detail: The elevator for a M16 TCM are similar to others and also run through the perforated guides.

FIG. 33. TCM for M16 carbine, bottom cap: The bottom cap of a M16 TCM is similar to present bottom caps too.

FIG. 34. TCM for M16 carbine, isometric: How it would look like.

FIG. 34A. TCM for M16 carbine, isometric, fully loaded: The order of the cartridges in a M16 TCM shows how they are fed into the firearm.

9. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 9.1 Preface.

The Twin Chambers Magazine, TCM, is a new concept of how a magazine can work properly carrying more bullets. It is not the design of one magazine for one caliber or for one firearm. It is a general design that can be applied to any caliber and to fit any firearm that works with a magazine. A .22″Ir TCM will be smaller, lighter and with different measures and specifications than a TCM designed for a .50″ caliber sniper rifle; but they should work similarly, based on the same principle.

The TCM, has two chambers or spaces inside it, instead of one like current magazines. Each one holds a determined quantity of cartridges, depending on the caliber it uses. The cartridges can be ordered inside completely side to side in a width relation with the diameter of the cartridge case to 1.6:1 to 2:1 for handguns and semi-automatic pistols, or even be more separated in a width relation with the diameter of the cartridge case 2.5:1 or even 2.8:1 when it is designed for rifles, carbines, sub-machine guns, machine guns, etc.

This relation in the inside space works like this: if the diameter of the cartridge case is 10 mm, the inside usable space in one chamber can be of 20 mm to allow the cartridges be ordered side to side, without slightly mounting one over the other like in the zigzag or W pattern; that is the relation 2:1. This is useful in a TCM designed to be inside the handler of a pistol, for example. If a case has a diameter of 10 mm, the internal usable space of each chamber, can also be of 25 mm to allow the cartridges be ordered from 2.5 cartridges per line allowing the chamber to hold more quantity, a small space between 2 cartridges. This will be de design for a TCM that carries cartridges for a carbine or assault rifle that hangs on the air below the firearm in which the space occupied by the TCM is not a problem. A relation of 3:1 of the inside space is not possible for practical reasons. In the upper part of the magazine, there most be an inverted funnel end where the cartridges are ordered because only one cartridge can leave the magazine at a time to feed the firearm mechanism, one cartridge at a time. If there is 3 or more cartridges aligned inside one chamber of the TCM or any other magazine, the cartridges will not be able to be ordered by the funnel and will stack in the magazine end. Simply, it does not work like that.

In any case, a magazine must be just behind the barrel. It feeds with cartridges the barrel chamber of a firearm, one shot at a time, allowing the first cartridge, to be pushed toward by the firearm mechanism, got inside the chamber, being shot by the fire pin, and then, when the mechanism goes backwards, extracts the empty or used case from the chamber by the extractor nail and ejects it outside the firearm by the ejector.

In the meantime, the strength of the magazine's spring, has already pushed up the second cartridge to the mouth of the magazine, putting it in fire position. After the first cartridge was used, and its case ejected, the mechanism of the firearm goes back and takes the second cartridge that is located now in fire position by the elevator or follower, pushed up by the magazine's spring and the process is repeated. All this process happens, in a fraction of a second; allowing an automatic firearm such as carbines and sub-machine guns, shoot until 600 cartridges per minute, 10 cartridges per second, or more.

The intention of the TCM, is to work properly without internal collisions or stacking, feeding the mechanism of a firearm one shot at a time, carrying more bullets than current magazines, being not so big as drum or helicoidal magazines. The weight, is another problem in which the TCM will not compete because the more bullets inside a magazine, the more weight.

9.2 Explanation of the Invention with an Example.

To explain how I pretend that the TCM works and to be produced, I will base my explanation on a specific model of TCM: the TCM for an AK47 that uses a 7.62×39 mm caliber, a Russian Kalashnikov, with slightly curve form. See FIG. 1, drawing 01/40 It does not mean that I am intending this patent registration only for this model or specification. I will base my explanation on this because this very model can be use, when eventually produced, in any AK47 without any modification. Also, it solves the problems detailed above in a clear way. This application intends to get a patent for the principle of twin chambers or independent magazines working together and the novelty stopping mechanism I am presenting. That can be used and applied to any caliber and firearm that uses a magazine, not only for this AK47 TCM, but any firearm. My intention is that the TCM can work and replace modern magazines in use in present firearms.

9.3 Description of the Mechanism of the TCM.

I consider this magazine mechanism, new, because honestly speaking and as far as I know and as far I have investigated, nothing similar has been intended before. I have made some investigation and consults through the web and military people, and we have not found any similar.

Its mechanism has to accomplish a goal: that a two chamber magazine works like a modern single chamber one, increasing the number of cartridges but feeding the firearm mechanism normally, without any collision in its mechanism and its parts that could jam the firearm mechanism.

The New Mechanism Works Like This:

9.3.1 Two different chambers. The TCM counts with a single body that has a vertical separation wall in the middle: the division wall, not horizontal, that produces in the internal magazine's space two different chambers or separate spaces in all its length, vertically speaking. See FIG. 2, drawing 02/40

This produces 2 different spaces or chambers, both identical as mirror view. Each one works like an independent magazine just connected in the mouth or upper opening of the TCM.

These 2 separate spaces must work as separately magazines feeding the firearm mechanism, one after the other. These 2 chambers conform each one an independent magazine with all their elements: external body, elevator or follower, main spring, bottom cap, safety plate that avoids accidental disassembling, inverted funnel end to order the cartridges one by one, a mouth or upper opening with lips that hold the first cartridge in the mouth and avoid that it jumps out of the TCM vertically. The cartridge, as in any magazine, can only leave the TCM in a horizontal movement to the front, not backwards, pushed by the firearm bolt to get into the barrel chamber. See FIG. 3, drawing 03/40 plant view.

This feature allows the TCM to hold twice of the cartridge capacity that current magazines can hold today, forming 4 or 5 lines of cartridges. Its new design allows the cartridges inside the first chamber (the left one if you see it from behind), to be used and be shot by the firearm, while the cartridges of the second chamber are kept in “hold” position by a stopping mechanism, waiting to be use. See FIG. 4. drawing 03/40 bottom view.

9.3.2 Each lip holds its cartridges. In this case, putting as an example the TCM for the AK47, the lower opening of the firearm in which the magazine is located, just behind the barrel, is enough wide to fit 2 cartridges, one next to other. And this is the novelty of this principle. The TCM does not have the cartridges aligned in a zigzag pattern we explained in the Background sub-section when they reach the mouth. Each separate chamber works as an independent magazine and works with the firearm through the mouth of the TCM, feeding one cartridge at a time, in a line pattern, aligning its cartridges in its upper inverted funnel part and in the last moment before being fed, one by one. See FIG. 5, drawing 04/40

I have to use exactly the same measures, form and design of the mouth and lips of a traditional AK47 magazine. The TCM must copy these features in order to work in a pre-existing firearm like the AK47. The length, form, height, position of the lips and mouth and the position of the magazine lock pin must be the same. See FIG. 6, drawing 04/40 The mouth of the TCM has to be similar to present magazines in order to be used in a present firearm. This is what allows us to make it work in a AK47, for explanation purposes for our invention's principle in this application: the separation of 12 mm between the magazine lips is the space in which the firearm bolt goes through every time it shoots, taking the first cartridge in its mouth held by the lips. See FIGS. 7, 8, and 9, drawings 05/40, 06/40 and 07/40

In a traditional magazine, the zigzag pattern makes the firearm bolt takes the first cartridge on the magazine mouth and putting it into the chamber to be used. After being shot, the bolt recedes, extracts and ejects the used case and goes back pushed by the firearm mechanism spring. In its way back, takes the next cartridge: one hold by the lip on the left, the next one hold by the lip on the right due to the zigzag pattern.

In the TCM I took the lower space or “hole” in which the magazine is located into the firearm, and found out that reducing the thickness of the magazine external walls, 2 cartridges can be completely fit, one next to the other. This, gave me the idea that one cartridge can feed the firearm from the left side, and other one from the right side, simulating the traditional zigzag pattern. If I can make the second chamber “to wait” for the first one to finish, I can make 2 magazines work as one in serial. So, if the cartridges located in second magazine do not interfere with the bolt movement while the first magazine is feeding the firearm, the TCM could hold double capacity. There is where I came up with the idea: 2 separate magazines can feed the firearm, one after the other one, if the cartridge of the second magazine does not interfere with the shooting process of the firearm. The second magazine must wait for its turn to feed the firearm, away from the bolt movement, so I thought in the stopping mechanism of the TCM. See FIG. 10, drawing 08/40:

9.3.3 Description of the Stopping Mechanism

The new stopping mechanism of the TCM, is designed to allow to use the cartridges of the second chamber of the magazine, once the cartridges of the first chamber have been already used.

To do so, the stopping mechanism holds the cartridges of the second or right chamber, in a “hold” position; few millimeters below and separated of the lips of the magazine. This allows the magazine to use all the cartridges kept in the first or left chamber without being interfered by the cartridges of the right chamber. When the cartridges of the left chamber are all used, the stopping mechanism is released and the cartridges of the right chamber are freed: its first cartridge is put in “fire” position. See FIGS. 11 and 11A, drawing 09/40.

The elevator or follower of the first chamber has a pin or button in its rear part that stays out of the magazine about 3 mm. This button is called the elevator external pin and goes up and down along with the elevator and of course, along with the cartridges inside that magazine, through two perforated guides: one in the front and one in the back part of the TCM. It means that the elevator external pin runs through two perforated guides in the magazine, one in the front, one in the back. See FIGS. 12 to 12C, drawing 10/40. Those perforated guides have some functions:

-   -   a) place the elevator in the correct position all its way up and         down avoiding it to move to the left or to the right, and         centering it just in middle of the lower wider part of the TCM,         see FIG. 13A, drawing 11/40;     -   b) place the elevator in a upright position, avoiding it to turn         up side down or spin into the chamber, see FIG. 13, drawing         11/40;     -   c) helping in reloading the TCM once it is empty, by crossing a         steel nail or wire through the elevator or follower, which is         hollow, helping to push the elevators down through the         perforated guides when the TCM is being reloaded. See FIGS. 14         and 15, drawings 12/40 and 13/40.

I also found out that the space the AK47 grants to locate the magazine, was long enough to save a space from 3 mm to 6 mm behind the cartridges, so I thought in locating the holding mechanism there. See FIG. 16, drawing 14/40.

The stopping mechanism is located under the right lip of the TCM mouth. It has a curved steel lamina piece that can hide under the lip by a small spring that keeps it hide when it is in “fire” position. Seeing the TCM from the back, this clasp device, similar to a pincers, made out of steel is located in the back part of the TCM, behind the cartridges, between the internal back sheet and the back cover sheet, in the stopping mechanism space. See FIG. 16A, drawing 15/40.

This curved steel lamina piece is called Safety Catch Plate. This Safety Catch Plate has a locking appendix in its back part with the form of an arrow that gets into a simple clasp device to hold the cartridges away from the magazine's mouth, stopping their way to the right lip. See FIG. 16B, drawing 16/40.

This Safety Catch Plate goes up and down by itself with an axis in its right which is located in the base of the right lip. See FIGS. 16C and 16D, drawing 17/40.

This clasp device is formed by 2 steel wires, forming a pincers. These steel wires are 2 hooks that hold and lock the appendix arrow in “hold” position. It retains or holds the cartridges of the right chamber away and below of the right lip of the magazine mouth and avoid to interfere with the firearm mechanism. See FIGS. 16E and 16F, drawing 18/40.

It has a curved form for 2 reasons:

-   -   a) it must be able to hide under the right lip when is not         holding the cartridges on the right chamber, because it can         interfere with the firearm mechanism movement;     -   b) its curve form provides strength and is appropriate to hold         and stop the first cartridge of the right chamber in “hold”         position while it waits its turn to feed the firearm. See FIG.         16G, drawing 19/40.

The clasp device, behind the right lip, is in the space for the stopping mechanism where it can not interfere with the firearm mechanism's movement. With the locking appendix arrow locked by this clasp device, the cartridges are kept on “hold” position, few millimeters away from the right lip of the magazine where they can not feed the firearm or interfere, for now. See FIGS. 16H and 16I, drawings 20/40.

When the last cartridge of the first left chamber is being use, the outside button of the first elevator, the external pin, touches and pushes up the releasing lever. This releasing lever pushes up the “pincers” of the clasp device opening them like scissors and frees the locking arrow appendix. See FIGS. 16J to 16L, drawing 21/40.

9.3.4 Waiting for its Turn to Work.

The stopping mechanism holds the cartridges of the second chamber (the right one) in “hold” position, few millimeters below the mouth lips avoiding to interfere with the firearm bolt and its mechanism while it works with the cartridges of the first chamber. See FIG. 17, drawing 22/40.

The stopping mechanism is waiting for the elevator external pin of the left chamber to be trigger. The elevator of the left chamber, when the firearm is working feeds its mechanism cartridge by cartridge, emptying it. Then, the elevator is coming up with every cartridge the firearm shoots. The elevator external pin of the left chamber, runs up and down through the perforated guides. Until that, the stopping mechanism keeps the cartridges of the right chamber few millimeters below the right lip to allow only the cartridges on the left chamber feed the firearm, it is not yet their turn to feed the firearm, they must wait to the left chamber to be emptied. See FIG. 18, drawing 23/40.

The left elevator external pin will release the stopping mechanism on the right chamber, touching the lower part of the clasp device or “pincers” with the releasing lever. When the firearm is shooting, takes cartridge by cartridge emptying the left chamber and its elevator arrives to a certain point in the left perforated guide. The external pin of the left elevator arrives to this certain point before using its last cartridge; I call this point the transition point in which the TCM changes from the left chamber to the right chamber.

In this transition point, when the firearm bolt takes the last cartridge in the left side, the left external pin pushes up the releasing lever which transmits the strength to the right side of the TCM and touches the wire hooks of the clasp device with a certain pressure. The releasing lever, pressures the clasp device opening them like scissors, releasing the locking appendix arrow from each side. When the locking appendix arrow is released, the cartridges in the right chamber which are pushed up by the magazine's main spring, come up instantly and putt themselves in fire position, held by the right lip: See FIG. 19, drawing 24/40.

In other words, the left chamber will be always the first one in beginning to work. When the left chamber begins to work and begins to feed the firearm, the follower or elevator is pushed up by the chamber main spring (one elevator and one spring for each chamber), using the cartridges it has.

This movement, releases the cartridges of the second chamber, the right one, an the magazine's main spring pushes them up, from “hold” position to a “fire” position and letting them go up few millimeters touching the right lip of the magazine mouth. In this position, the firearm mechanism can reach them and beginning to use them. The safety catch plate (scp) helps with its shape, to hold properly the cartridges in the right chamber. See FIGS. 19A to 19C, drawing 24/40.

9.3.5 The cartridges of the first chamber are being used by the firearm, sometimes one by one, in semiautomatic mode, and sometimes in groups or continuously in automatic mode. For that reason, the elevator can come up at different speeds. The elevator supports the cartridges, but it is push up by the magazine's main spring. Each chamber has its own elevator and main spring, as they work as separate magazines. See FIGS. 20 to 20D, drawings 25/40 and 26/40.

9.3.6 Ready to Change the Chamber in Use.

Again, summarizing, after using all the cartridges on the left side but one, the elevator and its external pin is going up by the strength of the left magazine's main spring that pushes it up inside the left chamber. With every cartridge that is used, the elevator goes up and up until it gets to a determinate position: the transition or critical point. When it finally uses its last cartridge and gets to the end of the guide, the left elevator external pin arrives to the transition point in which makes pressure to the releasing lever. See FIGS. 21 and 21A, drawing 27/40.

9.3.7 Changing the Chamber.

The left chamber is almost empty, just having one last cartridge. The last left cartridge is hold by the left lip. The elevator external pin is about to push up the releasing lever, but has not done it yet. If so, 2 cartridges will be at the same time available in the TCM mouth: one hold by the left lip, one hold by the right lip, jamming the firearm's mechanism. Only one cartridge can be available the mouth in any magazine. For that reason, it is important that the cartridges in the right wait for their turn to feed the firearm once all the cartridges in the left side have been already used. This position in prior to transition or critical point. See FIG. 22, drawing 28/40.

When the left or first chamber is using its last cartridge and takes it out of the magazine, the elevator along with its external pin goes a little up and gets to this transition point or transition moment, in the upper end of the perforated guide.

The stopping mechanism which in the base of the right lip, is keeping in “hold” position the cartridges by the arrow locking appendix retained by the hooks of the clasp device. In this transition point, the left chamber is using its last cartridge, the left elevator external pin pushes the releasing lever which transmits the strength to the right side and touches the clasp device which is holding the locking appendix arrow. The lever, pressures the steel wire hooks of the clasp device. The clasp device opens its hooks to both sides like an opening scissors, releasing the locking appendix arrow from each side and freeing the cartridges. The right cartridges that are pushed up by the right chamber's main spring, pushes up their elevator making the first cartridge touch the right lip. This transition movement puts this right first cartridge in fire position and now it is ready to feed the firearm mechanism, held by the right lip. Now they can be taken by the firearm bolt to be used. See FIG. 22A, drawing 28/40.

9.3.8 Transition.

All this transition must occur while the left elevator external pin gets to the end of the perforated guide. When the last cartridge of the first or left chamber is in fire position, the elevator external pin has not already got to the transition point and has not released the stopping mechanism. It has to release the stopping mechanism and free the cartridges of the right chamber, when the last cartridge of the left is being pushed out of the TCM. Then the elevator external pin runs up the last 5 mm of the perforated guide pushing the releasing lever and freeing the cartridges in the right chamber.

9.3.9 One Cartridge in the Mouth at a Time.

This means that the cartridges of the right chamber are able to reach the magazine mouth only when the last cartridge of the left chamber is been used and taken off the TCM. Only then the left elevator external reaches its transition point, frees the locking arrow of the stopping mechanism and the cartridges in the second chamber that were kept in “hold” position, are now free and able to reach the right lip of the magazine's mouth. See FIG. 23, drawing 29/40.

Before this moment, the stopping mechanism of the magazine, must kept the cartridges of the right chamber few millimeters below the magazine right lip. In other words, it keeps the cartridges of the right or second chamber away of the right lip of the magazine's mouth, keeping them in “hold” position when the left chamber is working, to avoid interfering with the firearm mechanism.

As explained, if the elevator external pin releases the right cartridges before this transition point, 2 cartridges will be available at the same time in the mouth of the TCM, one hold by the left lip, and another one hold by the right lip, jamming inevitably the firearm mechanism.

9.3.10 Working with the Right Chamber.

Only when the last cartridge of the first chamber is fired, its the elevator external pin releases the stopping mechanism, allowing the first cartridge of the second chamber, touch the right lip of the magazine's mouth. This puts the cartridges of the second or right chamber in “fire” position, ready to be use by the firearm. Then, all the cartridges held in the second chamber, can be taken by the firearm bolt, until the magazine is completely empty. When empty, it must be reloaded again. See FIG. 24, drawing 30/40.

9.4 Reloading.

By its design, the use of different chambers, the division wall and the quantity of cartridges it can hold, reloading the TCM is not a quick task. This invention do not intend to compete in being the fastest magazine to be reloaded, but a new magazine that holds double capacity of cartridges and that can be use in some cases, without any modifications in the firearms.

The reloading process begins where the TCM function ends and must be loaded in the traditional way: through its mouth.

It is better to be helped by a steel nail that goes through the elevator and elevator external pins of each chamber, those are hollow. A steel nail is put across the elevators and with the help of the fingers, the nail along with the elevator is pushed, down every time a cartridge is put into the mouth of the TCM to reload it.

The user has to rest the TCM on a surface and push down with one hand the steel nail and the elevator goes down. With the other hand begins to put cartridge by cartridge into the right or second chamber without the pressure of the elevator, which was cancelled by pushing down the steel nail.

The cartridges must be reloaded in the opposite way they were use. The cartridges must be put into the TCM's mouth in an horizontal movement from the front to the back, letting them lay on the elevator, helped by the steel nail that is pushing down the elevator every time the user puts a new cartridge into the TCM.

Once the second chamber is full again, the user pushes the curved steel lamina or safety catch plate down and locks the locking appendix arrow in the wire hooks or clasp device. With this, the user puts the cartridges of the right chamber in “hold” position, few millimeters away of the right lip. See FIG. 25, drawing 31/40.

Then, he repeats the same procedure with the left chamber, but in this time, obviously the last cartridge he reload, becomes the first cartridge in the magazine mouth and holds it against the left lip.

This procedure can take 15 or 30 minutes, depending in the experience the user has, how many times has repeated this process and how many rounds the TCM can hold. Naturally, the TCM can be loaded partially, with few cartridges in each chamber if there is no more cartridges, or loading and using only one chamber if the user wants; it is not necessary to load it in full.

We intend to allow the TCM front part, to slide up and down like the Cammenga Magazine describe in page 27, in order to reload the TCM faster and with a certain pattern in the order of the cartridges to assure the cartridges will not jam in the upper inverted funnel part of the TCM, ordering them properly from the bottom to the mouth. But that requires some investigation about Cammenga's patent, and paying invention's rights, if any, but it is my intention to build a TCM model with a front sliding cover sheet to allow faster reloading, nevertheless my drawings do not show it. It does not change the main principles of 2 chambers, stopping mechanism and divided mouth of the TCM and it is my will to build a TCM with a sliding front cover sheet. Here I show the inside elements of the TCM, fully loaded. See FIG. 25A, drawing 31/40.

9.5 Dismounting.

The TCM can be dismounted or disassembled in a traditional way.

Everything in its interior is held by a bottom cap that keeps everything in its place and inside the body of the TCM. The bottom cap also has a lock plate that locks it in its place. See FIGS. 26 to 26B, drawing 32/40.

The lock plate holds both main springs and locks the bottom cap in its place to avoid accidental disassembling. It has spring holders that keep the magazine's main springs in its correct place and avoid it to slide or move into the TCM. See FIGS. 27 to 27B, drawing 33/40.

Bottom Cap and its Lock Plate must be put together, and their removal make the TCM to be dismounted like a traditional magazine. See FIG. 27C, drawing 34/40.

The whole magazine, is assembled and disassembled like a M16 magazine, just divided in 2 chambers. See FIG. 28, drawing 35/40.

9.6 Description of the TCM Shape.

Since the mechanism and principle developed in the TCM can be use in every cartridge in use currently, the shape, size, length, width and form of the TCM can be different and various.

As explained, this magazine is intended to be used in handguns, pistols and rifles that use from .22″ long rifle to .50AE and others cylindrical cartridges. Also, the TCM can work with other cartridges developed or invented in the future, or others not mentioned in this description, having of course, different measures and sizes, but the same principle. Also, the magazine is intended to be use with conic shape or sharp noses cartridges of high velocity used by rifles, carbines and other similar to the AK47 I putted as example. The high speed of military cartridges, are used in several military and civilian models of a wide variety of firearms, having of course, different measures and sizes, but the same principle: two chambers that work in serial.

For example, a TCM for cartridges caliber .25″auto, .357″ Magnum, .380″ ACP, 9 mm, .40″S&W, .45″auto, etc and so many other cartridges with cylindrical shape, can be used in handguns, pistols, carbines, rifles and other portable firearms. The TCM has to be rectangular and straight, with no curves in its body, following the shape of the cartridge putting one over the other. For these models, the left elevator would have the function of a ramp for the right cartridges to reach the mouth. In this case the TCM magazine would have the shape shown in FIGS. 29, 29A and 30, drawings 36/40 and 37/40.

If the TCM is build for a high velocity cartridges as a 5.56 mmNATO, .223″Rem, 7.62×39 mm, 7.62×51 mm and so many other in current use that have a conic figure, the shape of the TCM would be curved, following the shape the cartridges take when one is putting next to other, similar to the shape of a present AK-47 35 round magazine in which this new magazine is inspired. The TCM designed for the M-16 rifle or the AR-15 carbine for 5.56 mmNATO, .223″Rem calibers respectively, has a different body, due to the magazine receiver those firearms have. The shape of the TCM is similar to a bottle, as seen in FIGS. 31 to 34A, 38/40 to 40/40.

I intend to produce a TCM for the same principle the P90 describes, pages 29 and 30, with a turning mechanism, above barrel magazine. In this case, I have to count before with the company's authorization and pay invention rights to do so, if it is still the case for the invention time rights.

And by this way, the shape, measures, size, length and other constants of the magazine, would change according of the caliber the firearm uses, but based on the same principle of using two chambers in the magazine to hold the cartridges, instead of one single space or chamber.

9.7 Cartridges That Can Be Used in the TCM.

As explained, the magazine I intend to patent, can be produce for using any cartridge in use around the world. One magazine will not work with any cartridge, will only work with the cartridge it was designed for.

The idea and the intention in this patent application, is that our developed mechanism can use any cartridge, using the measures and shape, every cartridge demands, not trying to develop a universal magazine that fits every cartridge in use. That is not possible and firearms do not work like that.

Of course, the measures, shape, size, length, width and other constants in the TCM, have to be different in every cartridge what it is made for, but the principle must keep the same: two chambers put together to work as one. 

10.1 The internal space of the TCM is divided. The TCM is the only one magazine that counts with 2 separate inside spaces or chambers that work as 2 independent magazines. The TCM gathers or puts together 2 independent magazines with all their elements in one body and make them work independently but in conjoint or as a whole, synchronized between them by its stopping mechanism that allows that one chamber waits its turn to feed the firearm mechanism until the other has been already emptied. This new stopping mechanism makes the TCM work properly, is formed by steel parts and makes the second chamber to hold its cartridges away of the firearm mechanism, waiting its turn to work and uses its cartridges until the first chamber has used all its cartridges, making the TCM work in serial, one chamber after another. Present magazines have a unique space or single chamber. Traditional, drum or spiral magazines have only one internal space in which its elements and the cartridges are put together, as a limitation in the number of cartridges they can hold. 10.2 The TCM does not require electricity to work or batteries to move its mechanism. It works with its mechanical mechanisms, developed by the applicant, moved by followers, springs, levers and clapping devices that can be develop and design to be used in countless firearms, with different calibers, actions, models, brands, sizes, types and uses, with or without a sliding front cover like the Cammenga Magazine. It is intended for being produced in several models and capacities, according to the firearm and caliber it is going to feed. Some present firearms must be modified to accept the TCM, some others do not need any modification to use the TCM. 10.3 The chambers or independent spaces that conform the TCM, by its new design, has a different width relation with the diameter of the cartridge that it holds. Explained in the Preface, section 9.1, the chambers of the TCM has a unique width relation with the diameter of the cartridge in use of 1.6:1 to 2.8:1, making wider the space in which the cartridges of the TCM are held, allowing this magazine to contain more cartridges than present magazines with a width relation of 1:1, 1.6:1 and 2:1 of the same length. This feature of the TCM adds a new design for firearm magazines, maximizes the space that carries the cartridges increasing the number of cartridges the TCM can hold. 10.4 The elevators or followers of the TCM are designed to push up the cartridges in a width internal relation of 1.6:1 to 2.8:1 and even, fit in the upper part of the TCM where the cartridges are ordered to leave the magazine one by one, putting themselves in the center of the wider internal space by 2 guides perforated in both extremes of the TCM, front and back and pushing up the cartridges efficiently and orderly. This width internal relation and these 2 perforated guides are unique of the TCM and prevents the follower moves improperly inside the chambers, avoid it to turn up side down by the pressure of the main spring or the cartridges, keep the follower in the exact center position in the chamber and help the reloading by using a steel wire to push them down. These new features, are not present in any other magazine, as far as I know. 